


His Maiden

by gravy



Series: zelmica [2]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Alternate Universe, Confessions, F/M, Light Angst, Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-07
Updated: 2018-11-07
Packaged: 2019-08-20 00:59:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,998
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16545764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gravy/pseuds/gravy
Summary: He remembers the day she was finally brought to Askr and how enthralled everyone was to meet her. If no one else was around, Zelgius might have dropped to his knees, overjoyed to reunite with his love.But she did not seem to remember him in the same way.





	His Maiden

**Author's Note:**

> i just wanted to do kind of a reverse of my last fic lol..
> 
> fair warning, this is uhhhh corny as hell

"Will you ever tell her?"

When Zelgius blinks his eyes open, Nino, the young girl from his team is sitting beside the spot where he is laying in the grass. As he slowly comes back to his senses, he can just barely hear Chrom calling after his horse while Ephraim's laughter mixes in with the yelling. They are all far from the atrocities of war at the moment-- freed from their armor and weapons and given a blessed moment to relax at the camp they had set up in a quiet valley to the north of the Askrian border.

"Did you hear me?" Nino clearly isn't speaking to either of the princes, so he lets out a quiet hum and answers her.

"Who are you talking about?"

"Micaiah." The young mage plucks a blade of grass and begins to whistle with it.

Zelgius turns his head and watches as she blows onto the grass for a moment before shutting his eyelids once more. "What is there to tell?"

Her whistling stops and he can practically feel Nino's withering gaze upon him. He turns over on his side, to not be affected by her simpering eyes. He tries to doze off again, but is kept awake by the feeling of the girl beginning to stick dandelions into his hair. 

"I thought you were in love with her," she whispers.

The knight only chuckles at this. "So rumors spread even amongst honorable heroes?"

Nino continues to crown him with flowers, ignoring his light jest. "How did you meet her?"

"I was given an order to protect her." A stray leaf tickles his brow, forcing him to wrinkle his nose in a poor attempt to move it away. When it doesn't work, he sits upright, brushing off the grass and flowers Nino had planted on him.

From his peripheral, he can see Nino staring at him expectingly. "And how did you know you loved her?"

Meters away, he spots Ephraim helping Chrom onto his steed.

"I won't tell anyone, promise!"

Zelgius sighs. He speaks. She listens. The two princes in the distance chase after a horse.

He recalls their first encounter, unfortunately on the battlefield. As terrified as she was only moments before, she was quick to steel herself by his side.

_"I will be your shield."_

How foolish he was to think of Micaiah as a mere maiden in distress.

Her courage and strength was proven by her will to press on, even as the rest of the world seemed to be against her and her brigade. She knew what sacrifices were to be made and how the ripples of every decision she took would effect her people. Although there was some naivety present in her still, she always remained determined for her people.

The night his feelings toward her grew, was a night where he had caught her alone, mid-prayer near a stream by their camp. Kneeling by the water, hands folded together, and eyes closed, she was left completely vulnerable to any and all attacks just so she could speak to some god or another.

_"And protect him as well," she had whispered into the night, "give peace to the Black Knight who guards my life. Bless him with strength to carry on safely in battle."_

Zelgius said nothing, leaving his presence unknown to her. Since that night, even outside of war he would watch her closely from afar-- admiring her kindness to all those who approached her. But it was _her_ who approached him first. It was her who spoke with him open-heartedly when others wouldn't dare come close. Her, who removed his armor and bandaged his wounds. And it was her, who removed his helm and pressed her soft lips against his brow.

That was some time ago in a different land. A different world. He remembers the day she was finally brought to Askr and how enthralled everyone was to meet her. If no one else was around, Zelgius might have dropped to his knees, overjoyed to reunite with his love.

But she did not seem to remember him in the same way. 

She had come from a time different than his. One where he had never witnessed her kindness, and one where she never bothered to witness his. It has been a month since then, and it has become apparent to many that Zelgius would rather avoid Michiah than face a lover-turned-stranger.

Nino keeps quiet by Zelgius' side now, no doubt feeling sorry for his loss.

"There is no need to pity me," Zelgius smiles. "The situation in itself isn't favorable, but perhaps it was meant to be this way."

The young girl now sitting with her knees curled up against her chest stares down at the plucked flowers and bits of grass solemnly. "She's still the same person."

Zelgius hums his acknowledgment again. "In certain ways, yes." He brings a hand up to ruffle the top of Nino's hair. "You needn't concern yourself with such matters, anyhow."

Pouting, Nino shakes his hand away. "And _you_ needn't treat me like... like a little girl!"

A small giggle escapes the end of her claim, prompting Zelgius to crack a smile as well.

 

* * *

 

A few nights before their next deployment, Prince Chrom injures his sword-bearing shoulder, a result from accidentally falling off his steed. With no healer available to send to their camp so soon, a replacement for him is to arrive by morning. Zelgius thinks that the gods and goddesses must enjoy tormenting him, for Chrom's replacement in the upcoming battle is none other than the silver-haired maiden herself.

Whenever she is around he isn't sure what to think, let alone _feel_. He takes to leaving the camp, gathering supplies alone to rid himself of unnecessary thoughts. And when he returns, he offers to keep watch at night, distancing himself from her presence.

He keeps to himself by a log near the fireplace, mending the leather torn on his gloves. Alone, he experiences a blessed silence to focus his thoughts on the battles that lie ahead. But the sound of footsteps and the rustling of cloth steals his attention, as he spots the maiden peeking out of her tent in the middle of the night. 

From where he sits, he sees her glance quickly around the camp, as a mouse would do, checking her surroundings for danger. When she notices Zelgius' presence, she steps out and begins to make her way toward him.

"Good evening, Sir Knight."

Zelgius nods to her in greeting, clamping down the way something in his chest sinks upon hearing his title instead of his name. "So the summoner has sent you here to fight with us." He keeps his eyes trained onto the fire, pulling his glove on to check it's restoration.

"I volunteered actually," she admits, "I can also help with my sacrifice, and..." He hears her swallow. There is a sudden hesitation in her manner. "I wanted to speak with you... alone."

Zelgius feels his jaw clench unconsciously. He is just as hesitant with his response, but waves her over to have a seat anyway. "What seems to be on your mind?"

Micaiah comes down to rest onto the log by him. When considering his question, she turns away, fiddling her fingers with the bark. "I seem to be making you uneasy," she says quietly.

"You can put away such worries," Zelgius replies, "I am fine."

She is unconvinced. "But at the castle, you have been avoiding me!" There is hurt in her voice. A confused distress he could never stand to hear from her. "Sir Knight, if there is something that I have done to offend you, I--"

"Not _you_ , per say."

She pauses. "What do you mean?"

Zelgius grits his teeth, still unwilling to confront this now. "It is as Prince Alfonse had said when you arrived. There are alternate versions of our worlds. Though you may know me, the course of events I experienced with you are different."

"What you experienced... with... me?"

_Ah_.

He had let the implication slip and he hopes the warmth from the flames is a good enough excuse for the heat rising on his face.

"Just... things that were said. Things that were done by even a mere second difference."

She scoots closer to his side. "So you would avoid me because of a mere second?"

Zelgius shakes his head. "That isn't--"

"Then what was I to you?"

The crackling of wood in the fire replaces all other sounds between the two of them.

When he doesn't answer, she implores him. "Zelgius... please tell me."

He sighs, knowing he will never win against her persistence. Not then, and certainly not now. "I swore to protect you," he begins. "It was so simple, and yet, you..."

He wants to end this conversation. He fears that his words will frighten her. That her world was true and his was one that wasn't meant to be. Nothing good would come from this in the end, and this will only--

Micaiah lays her hand upon his own, clenched atop his thigh. A feeling of her assurance washes over him, the same way it has in dire times before.

"I came to learn of your kindness," he finally breathes. "I let you into my life. Perhaps if I had never heard your prayers, it never would have happened."

"You overheard me pray for you?"

His eyes wander toward hers, revealing an expression of wonder, but also subtle remorse. She holds her hand firmly over his now, body turned to face him wholely, head tilted to one side, and listening ever so intently.

Zelgius' composure wavers, once again struck by her compassion, even for the mere knight that he is to her now. Of course she must have prayed for him in her world too. "You were a brilliant light to all. Kind and courageous. I never thought I would care so much. Our time together in my world was short, but it was perhaps the happiest I had ever been."

By now, her fingers are entwined with his. Such a casual, calming gesture that only she could turn into something so intimate for him.

"Then... do you still feel..?"

Zelgius answers this by lifting her hand to his lips, pressing them against the back of her hand. He is sure she can understand everything now. She has always been able to hear his thoughts and feelings so clearly.

Micaiah leans into his space, her free hand coming up past his cheek to caress the hair just behind his ear. "Thank you, Zelgius." She moves closer to leave a light kiss onto his cheek.

The knight releases a sigh when she moves away. He still holds onto her hand, reluctant, as if he would lose her again. 

"I... I don't have an answer for you yet, but... thank you for telling me." She stands, letting go of his hand, and he is almost ashamed to leave his fingers to linger on hers. Micaiah lets them touch each other again before finally pulling back.

"I could always feel that you cared," she whispers. "I think I... no. I am glad to be loved by someone like you."

He refuses to say anything more, knowing to always be patient for an answer. 

She turns to leave then, giving him one last parting glance, her face looking somewhat brighter since she had been summoned. "Good night, Zelgius."

He nods stiffly. "Good night, Micaiah."

It isn't until after she leaves that he realizes he has brought a hand up, touching the spot on his cheek that she had kissed. He knows she must have been giggling inwardly over the sight, though he can hardly bring himself to care.

In the morning, he lets Nino tease him about the small smile glued onto his face, though he waves it off as remembering something humorous from days before. He does so as Micaiah passes by him, brushing her little finger against his.

**Author's Note:**

> oh wow.. this was sappy.. i know zelgius is all big buff mcgruff, but my dumb ass just went
> 
> "what if he was Soft"
> 
> i keep pretending zelgius is so ~deep~ and ~complex~ or whatever when he's really just a disastrous bisexual with a big ass sword
> 
>  
> 
> anyway, i wrote this all on my phone, so please feel free to point out any mistakes. thanks for reading!


End file.
